Burns Night Celebrations
David’s home town of Prestwick lies in the heart of the Burns Country in Ayrshire and the life and works of the poet have been a lifelong interest about which he has written and broadcast widely. He contributes to many academic and informal meetings on the poet – and on the 18th Century era of The Enlightenment, of which Burns was one of the brightest stars. His 250th Anniversary falls in 2009.
David is Secretary of the Edinburgh Burns Club and has proposed the toast to the Bard - the "Immortal Memory" at Burns Suppers across Scotland and England, and as far abroad as Paris, Nairobi, Moscow and Washington D.C. In 2000 he was selected by the Burns Federation to speak at their Millennium Dinner in Edinburgh.
Thanks to the advent of Copyright Clearance, nearly all of his literary speeches on Burns – and also on Boswell and Walter Scott – are now accompanied by his use of glorious illustrations now released from the National Archives. Many private, public and corporate bodies now hold their own Burns Nights.
David would be pleased to advise on the format and delivery of the classical Burns Supper – and to contribute the principal Toast if required.
